The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-01

using a small mouthpiece. On cylinder of
wax. four inches long by one and a quarter in
diameter, 500 words can be marked The line
OF oots Is IN spiral, round and round the cylin-
oer, no shouting is neceSsary-merely clear
and distinct tone
To illustrate how perfectly this photograph
gives back what is said to it | left the room
whlie Edison read out to tire photograph long
list OF geographical names of the different
points connected by ce1t..in electric table. and
upon coming back to the room I listened and
repeated what l heard. At first, owing to an
accident TO one Of the adjusting screws, nothing
but a confused tumble resulted; when this was
liked l could distinguish nineteen words out of
twenty, and when tie room was quiet, which
was not always the case worknen were busy
all over the building. / eorld make ont every
syllable Edison him. elf. after number of
experiments in the quiet OF his house, has
no hesitation IL saying that it viii be possible to
use the phonograph eonst antly reader for
party of people sitting around table. but, of
course, the utmost silence must be preserved.
He has, although he is slightly deaf, heard
whole sentences at a distance of five feet. when
good funnel was used :. Itch maonlued the
sound.
Another expec:sneoJ was then made with an
aqua. at;nce of nine, who asked to step
out OF the while one of Edisons assistants
read ont a whole page from nicholas Nickel
by Upon coming back the listener. notwith-
standing tn 1T the photograph was rather out of
gear owing to partial dlsnountlnS tins morn
Ing repeated more than so per cent OF the
words of the photograph at the first hearing,
using a very defective ear-phone and at the
text The reading done in ordinary
tone of voice and at the rate of 200 words
mirCte-as fast as good reader usually reads.
1t Is possible that some persons may require a
little practice before they can catch every sylla-
bic with distjnctaess. Even the best telephones
are not easily understood by persons who are
not accustomed to their use. Anyone who can
understand telephone message will find no
difficulty in using the photograph.
Some experiments were then made to show
the marvellous faculty which the photograph
has of repeating or giving at the same time a
number of different sounds. For instance af-
ter reading over few lines from newspaper.
one of Edison'S assistants turned the phono
graph back and s;sng few lines of doggerel into
it, then turned it back again and whistled
Hail Columbia the three communications be-
ing superimposed. Tie result was a curious
mixture, The speaking. the singing and the
whistling being perfectly distinguished, and yet
blended together. This shows the ease with
which the plonograph reproduce the music
of an orches ia, each of the instruments com ng
out distinctly. aGd tie voice OF singers, if there
is also singing
The cost Of the phonograms, little wax
cylinders upon which TIE photograph traces its
message. 5 naturally of interest. According to
the present estimate the phonograms will cost
about three cents apiece for a four-inch cylinder
and one cent apiece for one-lnch cylinder,
upon which 200 words be written These
one inch Ihonograms will be intended for or
binary business letters. Little wooden boxes,
upon the cover of which can be written the adj
dress, with room for the stamp, will be used
for the mails. Edison expects to get the gov
eminent to carry these boxes at the same rate
as ordinary letters Mr.. Edisons device for
enabling the printer to set up type from the
photograph message is such that the phono-
graph reads out ten words at a time when
spring is touched If the printer does not set
up the ten words he can touch pedal with his
foot which makes the monograph repeat the
heves that the photograph will do away with
the necessity of writing for the printer at all;
the editor and the reporter of the future will
talk to the monograph and send the phonogram
up to the composing room